Program of Priestly Formation 6th edition

PASTORAL DIMENSION | 159

395. The program should include placements in which seminarians will experience the richness and diversity of the various cultural, racial, and ethnic groups that compose the Catholic Church in the United States. Such placements can also provide opportunities to sharpen language skills. However the pastoral formation program is organized, it must pay attention to the seminarians’ need to root a life of service in personal prayer. Seminarians need supervision in developing the habit of prayer in the context of pastoral activity and in learning to establish a rhythm of life that provides an appropriate balance of prayer, service, study, exercise, and leisure. Priest supervisors and mentors should be chosen who model this balance in their own life and ministry. Evaluation of seminarians in ministerial placements should include observations leading to a growing accountability in these areas. The seminary should keep before its diocesan seminarians the prospect of their future incardination into a particular diocese and its presbyterate. Seminarians should have opportunities and receive encour agement to learn about their diocesan structures and offices as well as to become acquainted with the priests who compose the presbyterate. During the discipleship stage, seminaries should provide a required program of apostolic activity, under the direction of a qualified coordinator who is a priest. Evaluation of seminarians should include consideration of their apostolic zeal in pastoral formation programs. They should be encouraged to understand the relationship of their apostolic activity to their personal, spiritual, and academic formation as well as their ongoing discernment of a priestly vocation. 396. 397. 398.